Combined lantern and torch



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N. M. HINMAN & J. P1 HERTZLER.

COMBINED LANTERN AND TORCH.

No. 585,756. 5 Patented July 6, 1897.

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NELSON M. IIINMAN AND JOHN F. HERTZLER, OF LAIVRENCE, KANSAS.

COMBINED LANTERN AND TORCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 585,756, dated July 6, 1897.

' Application filed July 25,1896. $erial No. 600,486. on model.)

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, NELSON M. HINMAN and JOHN F. HERTZLER, of Lawrence, Douglas county, Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lanterns, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a pa rt hereof.

Our invention relates to a lantern or torch; and it consists in certain novel and peculiar features of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter particularly described and claimed.

The object of the invention is to produce a device of this character which is of neat appearance and simple and cheap of manufacture.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 represents a vertical section of our improved lantern. Fig. 2 represents a perspective view of the same when arranged as a torch.

Inv the said drawings, 1 designates a circular plate or receptacle of sheet metal or other suitable material. It is stamped or otherwise formed in its base with the upwardly-projectin g circularbead 2, in order to embrace snugly the bottom of an ordinary lamp globe or chimney 3, which rests upon said base and is arranged concentrically with reference to the plate. The plate is provided at its middle with the upwardly-projecting socket 4, wherein a candle 5 may be reliably and easily secured, or within said globe an ordinary oil or other burner may be arranged in lieu of the candle, if desired.

In order to support the globe in position,

so that the swinging or joliing of the lantern will not displace it, we employ the upwardlyconverging sprin g-arms 6, which are arranged diametrically opposite each other and are secured at their lower ends, as at 7, to the outer and upper margin, preferably, of the plate 1. At their upper ends said arms are formed with the spring or hinge coils 8, terminating in the downwardly-converging short arms 9, which bear with a firm but yielding pressure upon the upper end of the globe 3, the globe being confined at the apex of the angles formed by and between said arms 6 and 9, as shown clearly. The arms 6, a suitable distance from their upper ends, are also formed of lighter weight.

with coils or eyes 10, which may also perform the function of hinges for the upper portions of said arms 6 when the globe is to beplaced in or removed from position. \Vhen a globe is to be so handled, the arms 9 are sprung upwardly, and at the same time the upperends of the arms 6 are sprung outwardly.

11 designates the bail or handle of the lantern. It is approximately of U form and has its opposite ends 1 loosely embracing the coils or eyes 10, which permits the lantern, when one grasps the handle, to swing freely back and forth in the customary manner, and by reason of the fact that the globe is held reliably, as shown, it is obvious that the light is not extinguished even though the lantern be circled bodily by the person carrying it.

In order that this lantern may be used conveniently as a torch, we secure to one end of the staff or handle 12 a pair of approximately V-shaped wire frames, each consisting of a horizontal arm 13, secured rigidly at one end to the handle in any suitable manner, and an upwardly and inwardly inclined arm 1et,which exceeds in length the distance between the coils or eyes 10 and the base of the plate 1. Said frames are arranged diametrically opposite each other, and the distance between the arms 14: is such that the plate 1 may swing freely between them. At their upper ends they are bent to form the vertical eyes 15, which embrace the coils or eyes 10 at the outer sides, preferably, of the points of connection with said loops or eyes by the bail 11, so that the lantern maintains its vertical position irrespective of the position in which the staff or handle 12 is held, provided the vertical plane occupied by said staff is parallel with the plane in which said lantern swings.

From the foregoing it is obviousthat we have produced a device which may be employed to great advantage as either an ordidinary lantern or as a torch.

The advantages of the lantern over the lanterns in common use lie chiefly in the fact of its being much cheaper, easier to handle, and The advantages of it when used as a torch over the ordinary torch lie chiefly in the fact that it is not so easily extinguished, because of the globe or chimney, and that it is not nearly so dangerous to the bearer or those in his neighborhood, owing also to the fact that the flame is surrounded by the globe, and even if brought in contact with the apparel of a person will not ignite it.

It is to be understood, of course, that slight changes in the form, detail construction, or arrangement will not be considered a departure from the spirit and scope of our invention.

, Having thus described the invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1 In a lantern, the combination of a baseplate, a burner thereon, a globe or chimney inclosing the burner and resting on the base plate, and a pair of upwardly converging arms, at opposite sides of the globe, consistingeach of a spring-wire, having their lower ends secured to the base-plate, and bent to form at their upper ends hinge-coils, and downwardly-convergin g integral arms which bear upon and within the globe or chimney, substantially as described.

2. In a lantern, the combination of a baseplate a burner thereon, a globe or chimney inclosing the burner and resting on the baseplate, a pair of upwardly-converging springarms at opposite sides of the globe, consisting each of a spring-wire, having their lower ends secured to the base, and bent to form hinge-coils,and downwardly-converging arms at their upper ends, which latter bear upon and within the globe, and bent also to form loops or eyes below said hinge-coils, substantial-ly as described.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

NELSON M. IIINMAN. J OIIN F. HERTZLER.

Witnesses:

THOMAS J ONES, G. Y. THORPE. 

